2020… what a strange reading year! When I started working from home 100% of the time due to the pandemic I thought my reading would be cut back since I didn’t read on a commute anymore, but it was the opposite – we cut our social life down to zero and I had a lot more time to read. I ended up reading a lot more than last year – 100 books versus 59! Whoa! I do NOT plan to attempt to read 100 books in 2021. Somewhere in the 60-75 range seems much more plausible.
I was a mood reader before but 2020 definitely showed me how much I am. I could not get in to some books I tried, and I had no problem DNFing them.
I also read may more on my Kindle this year than last since books were more readily available that way, and I began to prefer my Kindle – it’s so much easier to just click on a word and look up its meaning.
As always, thanks for reading and responding to my book posts this year! I am going to use the same format in 2021, but try to come up with a better title… maybe “2021 Reading Update #x.” Wow. So much better.
Here are some of my 2020 reading stats:
Numbers
Books Read: 100
Pages Read: 37,726
Average pages per day: 103
Books DNF’d: 4
Amount personally spent on books I read in 2020: $5.46
Fiction vs non-fiction count: 87 / 13
Physical book vs e-book: 27 / 73
Re-reads: 0, but I bought some Kindle copies of books I loved
Fastest read: <1 day, The Bolds
Slowest read: 13 days, Catherine House
“Oldest” book I read (by publication date): 6/1/1979, Kindred
“Newest” book I read (by publication date): 10/6/2020, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Longest book I read: 702 pages, Sleeping Beauties
Shortest book I read: 137 pages, I Remember Nothing: and Other Reflections
Fiction
Favorite novels of the year: Anyone, Beyond the Point, The Heart’s Invisible Furies, Long Bright River, Oona Out of Order, One to Watch, The Warehouse
Favorite debut: Beyond the Point
Novels I recommend to everyone: Long Bright River, The Heart’s Invisible Furies
Genres I read the most of: Contemporary Women and Literary Fiction
Non-fiction
Favorite non-fiction of the year: Inside a Marathon: An All-Access Pass to a Top-10 Finish at NYC, Featuring a new Boston Marathon Chapter
Favorite memoir of the year: Running for My Life: One Lost Boy’s Journey from the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Games
Memoir I struggled with BIG time: Dandelion Growing Wild: A triumphant journey over astounding odds to become an American marathon champion – it was just so sad!
Random
Book I was most surprised I loved: The Names They Gave Us
Most disappointing reads: We Wish You Luck, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, Godshot, We Ride Upon Sticks
Books I wish I could unread: Untamed
Worst book I finished: Untamed
Sequels I wish I had skipped: Deathless Divide and A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor
Work Book Club books: Thief River Falls and A Monster Calls
Monday Night Book Club books: The Last House Guest and Lottery
Books I read because only I love the author: Heft, I Was Told It Would Get Easier, The Glass Hotel, Commonwealth, After I Do, Maybe in Another Life
Authors I worked through some of their backlist: Taylor Jenkins Reid, Liz Moore
Buddy Read: The Vanishing Half with Stephany
Books I read then purchased: Anyone
Series I read: Harry Potter (1-3), Truly Devious (1-3), Dread Nation & Deathless Divide
Author I read the most pages by: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Books that were turned into movies/TV: A Monster Calls, Harry Potter
Books that I’d like to see turned into a movie: Anyone, Oona Out of Order
Fiction book I didn’t realize was more true than I thought: Fast Girls
Where I got the most of my book recommendation: Currently Reading podcast
Thank you for your book posts. I read a bunch of the books you recommended and loved them! The hardest part of year for me was when the library was closed!
You are welcome! I am so glad you find them useful!
Ugh, how long did it last for you and did they start with pickup or anything? I was so glad when ours did again! (you still can’t go in and browse)
They opened back up in June. They allow a few people in at a time to browse- but it stresses me out because I feel rushed and bad for picking up books to look at, so I’m mostly still doing requests (which is why recommendations are so helpful)
Oh totally! I would feel the same way. I am glad you can do requests at least!
SO. MANY. BOOKS.
I was hoping to read more when WFH started… but alas, my brain didn’t want to cooperate. I just didn’t have the brain space to read a lot.
I know a lot of people who said the same thing! This was not the year to be forcing yourself to try to focus and read when you don’t want to!
Wow! What a lot of interesting statistics! Did you keep track of all that yourself or is that from Goodreads?
Thanks for suggesting so many good books this year and for introducing me to Liz Moore and TJR! Long Bright River was very good.
Here’s to more great reading in 2021!
I keep track of it myself – it’s all from a spreadsheet I have.
You are welcome! Thanks for your recommendations as well! I still have a few on my TBR!
Wow! That is impressive!
Thanks!
Yay! I was looking forward to this post. I’m publishing my favorite reads tomorrow and my reading stats on Friday. Those posts are always so much fun to put together!
I giggled hard at Untamed. Will you think less of me if I end up liking that book?!?! HAHA.
I wasn’t planning on reading the Addie Larue book but BOTM let me get it for free and I don’t turn down free books. So I guess I’ll be reading it sometime in 2021. Or 2022 or 2023 or 2024…
Here’s to another great reading year in 2021!
They are fun! And writing this made me think of more stats to add to the spreadsheet you so graciously shared years ago!
Of course not! I never think less of someone for liking something I don’t (unless that thing is problematic, ha).
Ha. Ha ha ha. I will be patient for your review of it. It was good but I had higher hopes.
Thanks! I am really struggling with the non-fiction I am reading now. It’s WAY too detailed. I am getting close to finishing, thankfully!
These stats are so interesting! Like running stats, but more relevant to 2020 with how few races actually happened this year. Averaging 103 pages per day is amazing! I’m curious: are your pages based on Kindle books or printed copies of the books? I ask because I know with my Libby books, the page counts can be NUTS since the “pages” are so small – and you can change the number of pages in a book by adjusting the font size.
Thank you! I pull the page count from the actual book when I have it, and from the Goodreads stats when it’s a Kindle version. I am not sure what it’s based on there, but it doesn’t account for font size.
I find it fascinating that you (are able to) keep track of such detailed statistics! I haven’t recorded my reading in Goodreads since the summer. *facepalm* It still shows me as reading White Fragility, which I finished in June. And now, of course, I can’t remember everything I read! I guess I should give it a go anyway…
Anyway! What I really came by to comment on was your dislike of Untamed – I loved it, but I honestly think it’s one of those books that you either love or REALLY REALLY dislike. For some reason, it works for some people and not for others. I admit the writing style was hard to get used to, but once I got beyond that I was all in. (I’ll be interested to see what Stephany thinks, given her comment above! :>)
Happy reading in 2021!
I am big in to tracking all sorts of random stuff so Goodreads and my spreadsheet work well for me! I will be impressed if you remember all your reads sine June!
Most people I know absolutely loved it and it was their fave book of the year! Which makes me happy they felt so moved by it. I am curious to hear what Stephany thinks too! It wasn’t for me, but there are so many books out there that that’s okay! I am still excited others loved it.
Thanks! Same to you!
Love the small images collection of the books you read. I have The Vanishing Half on my list of to read.
Thanks! It took me a long time to put together so I appreciate that comment!
It was good! Let me know what you think of it.